Current Students and Staff

// University News

7 Sep 2017

Loughborough shortlisted for four Times Higher Education awards

Loughborough University has been shortlisted for four Times Higher Education (THE) Awards – for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year, Excellence and Innovation in the Arts, the International Impact Award, and Technological Innovation of the Year.

The annual honours, dubbed the ‘Oscars’ of the higher education sector, celebrate outstanding examples of best practice across a range of activity.

Dr Matthew Inglis, who is a Reader in the Mathematics Education Centre at Loughborough University, has been shortlisted for the Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year award. Dr Inglis’ nomination recognises his contribution to the creation of an outstanding research environment to support doctoral students, as well as his work to inspire and challenge the doctoral students he supervises.

Loughborough was shortlisted in the Excellence and Innovation in the Arts category for its Market Town project, which brought academics and artists together to consider the future viability and sustainability of Loughborough town centre. One of the initiatives undertaken as part of the project involved the University’s lecturers and the town’s market traders swapping places; stalls were set up on the campus and the University’s academics delivered their lectures in the town centre.

Nick Slater, Director of LU Arts, which was instrumental in the delivery of the project, said: “Members of the public could attend lectures, allowing them to engage in a new way with the University, and the market traders were able to access new customers on the University’s campus. It brought the town and the University together in a very innovative way.

“Overall Market Town was a great success, and I am delighted that it has been recognised with a Times Higher Education Award nomination.”

Loughborough was shortlisted for the International Impact Award for tApp – a wireless device and mobile app that use sensors attached to water appliances in the home to collect real-time data about usage. tApp aims to increase consumers’ awareness of their water consumption, reinforce water-saving behaviour, and allow people to manage their consumption more economically and lower their bills. The scheme is currently being trialled by two international water companies.

Dr Yang said: “The pilot trial results show that every participating household expects to save up to 20% water consumption. If widely accepted by communities, then a significant contribution to tackling the world water crisis could be achieved.

“I’m really pleased that tApp has been shortlisted for a Times Higher Education Award. I’d like to thank all those we have worked with in developing it - it’s been a real collaborative partnership.”

The nomination in the Technological Innovation of the Year category is for ACCT – a system that extends the low-temperature operation of AdBlueTM based Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems.

SCR systems help reduce NOx (oxides of nitrogen) emissions from both on-highway and heavy-duty diesel engines. However they struggle to operate at exhaust temperatures below 250ºC which can result in exhaust blockages if the system is not shut down. ACCT integrates into existing SCR systems, requiring very little design alteration. By extending the system’s operating temperature range, ACCT dramatically lowers NOx emissions and allows for further fuel efficiency improvements.

The Times Higher Education awards ceremony will be held on 30th November 2017 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London, with more than 1,000 guests expected to attend, including politicians, senior figures within the higher education sector and university staff from around the UK.